For how long? Ah, nobody knows. Thatís where the insult part comes in to the Lionsí fans. They clearly should know how long their head coach is signed, but the Lions donít think itís any of their business.

Itís fan disrespect at a shocking level.

The timing suggests the Lions were covering up the Caldwell extension and avoided announcing it until they felt it would be popular.

Itís backfired, of course. The Lions at 3-1 were a mirage. They are 6-6 and seem destined to miss the playoffs. As importantly, after four years, it appears as if the message from Caldwell and his staff has run its course.

The Lions, supposedly, were starting anew with general manager Bob Quinn following the 2015 season, but have only presented more of the same. Too a large degree itís because Quinn didnít change coaches. Itís put his program two years behind. Time is wasting.

The Lions need a new coach, or Quinn is merely collecting fat paychecks rather than trying to actually place his stamp on the organization.

Whatís not clear is who is making the decisions.

If Quinn, who has been dreadful from Year One to Year Two in regard to stocking the Lionsí roster, doesnít think he can make an upgrade at coach, he is not going to be a championship-caliber general manager.

If he canít make the move because owner Martha Ford famously ďlovesĒ Jim Caldwell, itís a perfect example of an owner micromanaging because of a teacherís pet.

That, of course, would be the Lionsí standard operating modus operandi under the Fords given the way-too-long tenures of former general managers Russ Thomas and Matt Millen.

There have been some good moments under Caldwellís tenure, at least by this franchiseís meager standards, but he is nonetheless getting lumped into classic Lionsí lore for cronyism.

The fans have been treated poorly by the Lions. They have learned any and all information about their head coachís future from leaks to Adam Schefter.

Before the Lionsí last game in 2015, on ESPNís pregame show and before Quinn was hired, Schefter reported Lionsí owner Martha Ford ďlikedĒ Jim Caldwell and would encourage the yet-to-be-named general manager to retain him. It was the big news that day.

Flash forward to last season, the week of the playoff game vs. Seattle, after the Lionsí collapsed by losing their final three regular-season games, it was leaked to Schefter that Caldwell would return for the final season of his original four-year contract.

Then, it happened again this year.

No news conference. No explanations. Just kind of this aimless direction of the Lions leaving their fans hanging out to dry.

The Lions are not a standup organization with a solid plan in place to build to a championship crescendo.

They remain a fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants entity, which repeats the same mistakes with utter disregard to the town they serve because, well, itís the NFL, theyíre the Fords and they can get away with it.